
Technical Skills Requiredīoth residential and commercial electrical technicians start from the same place in terms of education and training. This increased maintenance frequency is why commercial electrical contractors benefit big-time from having preventative maintenance contracts in place. They tend to fail more often and require more maintenance, which is why most are installed in easily accessible places with access panels for troubleshooting. These can include higher voltage and current flow which are expected to perform almost continuously.Īpart from the load and safety demands, commercial electrical systems are designed to be more accessible in case of failure. Depending on whether the equipment used operates on 120V or 240V, different types of wiring, breakers, and other electrical supplies are used.Ĭommercial electrical systems usually require cables with more insulation and sheathing to handle demanding commercial applications. Residential electrical systems generally require thin gauge cabling with less sheathing and insulation. This difference in power means that the equipment and supplies used also differ. Residential electricians typically deal with single-phase systems ranging between 120V-240V.Ĭommercial electricity is three-phase, where the conductors used carry anywhere from 120V to 480V due to the high power requirements of commercial and industrial electrical loads. One important difference between residential and commercial power supply lies in the type of power supply used. Typically, they’ll handle electrical permitting which is often required in major cities. You are most likely to find them in commercial buildings, business locations, public buildings, factory complexes, among other places. That includes installing wiring systems, machines, and control panels in accordance with the official blueprints. Residential electrical systems inspection and rewiringĬommercial electrical contractors do many of the same duties on a larger, more complex scale.


Residential electrical contractors are responsible for the safety, compliance, and proper finishing of residential electrical installation. As promised, here are the five major differences between residential and commercial electrical contractors. This enables them to take on projects individually or as a part of a contractor company. Not every electrician becomes a contractor, but most residential and commercial electricians do. Low voltage/electrical communication specialists.There are more than 20 types of electricians based on their area of specialization, training, and experience. While commercial contractors often have to deal with larger scale projects, it’s important they have a thorough understanding of residential needs as well, because many commercial electricians take on residential projects.īecause of all the nuances in the electrical field, specialization is a key part of the job, which is why there are so many types of electricians. Each is complex and massively important in its own way, and there’s a lot of overlap between the two. That’s what they say, anyway, until you give them the blueprints to a multi-story mall or office building.īoth residential and commercial electricians are noble professions. Any electrician can power up a building given enough time and equipment.
